Cigarette tray construction



Filed Sept. 28 1965 Feb. 13, 1968 MoRRls ET AL CIGARETTE TRAYCONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 T; Q INVENTORS 2 HIE/101775 J/i flash?9260 da, g/[xa/Ze. 44 7161235011 ATTORNEK J. E. MORRIS ET AL 3,368,694

CIGARETTE TRAY CONSTRUCTION Feb. 13, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed Sept. 28,1965 p INVENTORG KATA 07771; JSA. M05022 J. fizaisg.

MStbb, 6p2.. @rzzafle ml 114225070 ATTORNEYS Feb. 13, 1968 J. E. MORRISET AL 3,368,694

C IGARETTE TRAY CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 28, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5INVENTORS x 55 v @5022 Q ER Q J 5124/2312 United States Patent 3,368,694CIGARETTE TRAY CONSTRUCTIGN James Ernest Morris, James Arthur Mason, and.iuhus Szaksz, Richmond, Va., assignors to The Molina 0rganisation,Limited, London, England, a corporation of Great Britain Filed Sept. 28,1965, Ser. No. 4%,839 8 Claims. (Cl. 2i1134) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLGURE Atray for receiving a stack of cigarettes for transporting the same fromone machine to another, the tray having one open side through which thecigarettes are introduced into the tray, and a control plate supportedon the tray for guided displacement from an operative position acrossthe open side of the tray, in which it blocks accidental discharge ofcigarettes during transportation, to an inoperative position at theopposite side of the tray, to permit introduction of the cigarettes, andhaving devices for retaining the closure plate in the operative positionto resist unintentional displacement of the plate.

This invention relates to trays for containing stacks of cigarettes,filter rods or the like and, more particularly, to such a tray having anopen side for conveniently receiving the stack of articles and a controlplate to be positioned across said open side to prevent spilling of saidarticles.

During the manufacture of cigarettes it i required for a stack ofcigarettes to be transferred from one machine to another in variousstages of manufacture. To accomplish this function, cigarette trays havebeen provided that are designed to receive a stack of cigarettes from acigarette collecting and filling mechanism that is stationed to receivethe output of any particular manufacturing machine. One of the mostsuccessful types of cigarette trays has been the type in which thecigarettes are pushed axially, that is, end first, in a stack through anopen side of the tray. The cigarette tray is designed so as to have anappropriate Width to accommodate the length of a cigarette which definesthe width of the stack.

Since these trays are transported from one machine to another by aconveyor, for example, which is susceptible to jolts and bumps, it hasbecome necessary to provide an arrangement for preventing the stack ofcigarettes from spilling out of the open side during these operations.

Prior to this invention, several proposals have been made r in which acover member is supplied for the open side of the tray to be positionedacross the tray during the transporting operations of a filled tray. Inthese prior art devices when it becomes necessary to gain access to theopen side for filling the tray, then the cover member is moved away fromthe tray so as to reveal the open side.

Many problems are inherent in these known prior art arrangements. In thetype of tray employing removable cover members, the latter are oftendamaged during or after removal due to the rough handling by theoperator as, for example, if the operator drops it to the floor in anattempt to speed up the placement of the tray in the filling position inthe machine. Also, of course, these loose parts become a safety hazardto the operator and are, in some cases, even forgotten about so thatthey become permanently lost from the tray. In still other types oftrays where the cover member is positioned in a space outside the normalboundary limit of the tray while the filling operation takes place, itbecomes difiicult to properly position the tray in existing machines dueto the increased dimensions of the over-all tray assembly. This trolplate attached to said tray so as to be movable between an operativeposition across the open side of said tray and an inoperative positionoutside said tray along said side wall. In addition, the tray isprovided with guide means for positively holding the control platecaptive on said tray whereby said control plate is in juxtaposition tosaid tray in all positions of movement and is positioned substantiallyparallel to said tray along said side wall in said inoperative position.With this arrangement, the open side can be conveniently exposed forreceiving the cigarettes by retracting the control plate and then saidcontrol plate can be repositioned across the open side to contain thecigarettes in the tray while being transported in the usual manner.

An object of the present invention is to provide a tray of the characterdescribed wherein the control plate is positioned across the open sideof the tray with a controlled arcuate movement and is spaced from theend walls by bumper blocks whereby said control plate is easy toposition and does not tend to pinch the ends of articles uponpositioning in the operative position across said open side.

Still other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomereadily apparent to those skilled in this art from the followingdetailed description, wherein we have shown and described only thepreferred embodiment of the invention, simply by way of illustration ofthe best mode contemplated by us of carrying out our invention. As willbe realized, the invention is capable of other and differentembodiments, and its several details are capable of modification invarious obvious respects, all without departing from the invention.Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded asillustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.

Referring now to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of a tray constructed in accordance with thisinvention looking in from the open side with the control plate in aconfining position;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the tray illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the tray illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a detailed view partly in cross section taken along the line44 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a detailed cross-sectional line 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a detailed perspective view of a modification 0f the presentinvention with parts broken away for clarity;

FIG. 7 is a side view of another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a top view of the tray illustrated in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a side view of still another embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 10 is a top view of the tray of FIG. 9.

Referring first to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS.1-7 of the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a receptacle or tray forcigarettes, filter rods or the like embodying the present invention. Forease of discussion and illustration, the following discussion will bedirected to the case where the tray of the invention is used forconfining a stack of cigarettes. It should be understood, however, thatthe tray is well adapted for other uses, such as with filter rods, asmentioned above. For example, it is well known that machines designedfor making double length cigarette products can be easily adapted formaking filter rods that are the same length view taken along so that insuch a case the same tray can be used for collecting and stacking thefilter products.

The cigarette tray 10, which is preferably fabricated from metal forstability and long life includes a base 11, one side wall 12, and a pairof opposed end walls 13, 14. The side wall 12 and the two end walls 13and 14 are preferably made from a single piece of relatively heavy gaugemetal, the latter walls being bent at an angle of substantially 90 withrespect to the side wall 12, as well illustrated in FIG. 3. The topportion of the side wall 12 may be provided with flared portions 15, 16along the top for stability While the middle portion of the side wall 12is retained in a flat condition to receive a retractable handle 17mounted on any number of studs 13 by suitable elongated slots 19 (seedotted-line outline in FIG, 1). This handle 17 is provided for thepurpose of transporting the tray from one machine to another in themanufacturing facility.

Other handles 20, 21 are provided for use when it is necessary for thetray to be transferred by hand. Thus, it can be seen that the tray canbe grasped either by a conventional conveyor at handle 17 or manuallywith handles 20, 21 in such a manner that the tray maintains its uprightposition at all times.

The base 11 is designed to maintain the tray in its upright positionwhen the same is resting on any type of horizontal support and includesa pair of feet 25, 26 that are preferably cast for convenience andinclude upwardly extending bosses 27, 28 for engaging a desired portionof a filling machine (not shown) being utilized to fill the tray 10.

Disposed through a slot 30 (FIG. 2) in the support feet 25, 26 is abottom plate 31 having conventional stop pins 32, 33 for preventingaccidental dislodgement of said bottom plate 31 during transport. Thebottom plate 31 supports the stack of cigarettes, generally representedby the reference numeral 34, in the usual manner; and when it is desiredto dump the cigarettes, in the hopper of a machine, for example, theright-hand end of the bottom plate 31 (as viewed in FIG. 1) is simplyraised until the bottom pin 33 is clear to pass through the slot 30whereupon the cigarettes are dumped as the left-hand end of the bottomplate 31 disengages the support foot 26.

It should now be evident that when the bottom plate 31 is in positionthrough the support feet 25, 26, the stack of cigarettes 34 is confinedby the structure described above except on the open side of the trayIll, which is the near side of the tray in FIG. 1. In many cases thestack 34 could be safely transported from one machine to another withoutdislodgement of the cigarettes from their resting position in the tray.In fact, there are a number of prior art trays that operate on thisprinciple of no control along at least one side of the tray, asexemplified by the patent issued to D. W. Molins, 3,132,746, May 12,1964, and assigned to the same assignee as the present case. However,experience has taught that because of jolts or bumps that might occurduring the transporting operation of a filled tray, better control overthe stack 34 is required. According to the present invention, the stack34 is positively controlled in a convenient manner by a relativelysimple mechanism that can be rapidly positioned in the desired operatingmode.

To accomplish this, a control plate 40, preferably of clear plastic, ismounted for positioning across the open side of the tray 10. It has beendiscovered that the control plate 40 need not extend the entire lengthof the tray but needs to extend only little more than half way down toeffectively control the stack of cigarettes 34 in the tray 10; the lowerlayers of cigarettes being retained in the tray 10 as a result of thefriction between adjacent cigarettes and the weight of that portion ofthe stack 34 above. This is important since this construction allows thecigarettes to be controlled and yet allows the control plate 40 to be ofsuch a size to be easily supported and rapidly 4 movable from theoperative position across the open side of the tray 10 to theinoperative position in the manner to be described subsequently.

The mounting of the control plate is effected by a pair of movable endplates, generally designated 41, 42, that are positioned adjacent theend walls 13, 14, respectively, and secured to plate 40. These endplates 41, 42 are a part of a guide and operating assembly that ispositioned on each end wall 13, 14, and generally represented by thereference numeral 43. This guide assembly 43 is identical for both ofthe end plates 4/1, 42 and therefore only one needs to be describedherein.

As best illustrated in FIG. 2, the end plate 41 of the guide assembly 43is provided with a 90 bend thereby providing a flange portion 59extending along the outside of the end wall 13 of the tray 10. Theflange portion receives a pin 51 that serves to support the end plate 41through an elongated link 52 that is pivotally mounted by pivot pin 53extending outwardly from the end wall 13. The mounting of the pivot pin53 is preferably reinforced by a strap 54 that extends transversely ofthe end plate 13.

With the foregoing pivoted link arrangement, the control plate 40 iscapable of movement in the direction of the dotted-line arrows in FIG. 2through an intermediate dotted-line position along the top of the tray10 to a final dotted-line position substantially parallel to the trayalong the side wall 12. It will be noted that the control plate 40remains in juxta osition to the tray in all positions of movement fromthe operative position across the open side of the tray 10 to theinoperative position on the outside of the tray next to the side wall12.

To further aid in guiding the control plate 40 and in positioning thecontrol plate 40 in the operative position across the stack ofcigarettes 34, there is provided a flange extension having an inwardlyextending latch pin 61 for engagement with a slot 62 formed along theupper edge of the end wall 13 and a reinforcement piece 63 (see FIGS. 2and 4). In operation, as the control plate 46 is returned to thesolid-line operative position of FIG. 2, the positioning of the guidepin 61 is designed so that it engages the slot 62 and thus serves toguide the control plate 40 during the final stages of movement.

Thus, the control plate 40 approaches and leaves the operative positionacross the open side with a controlled pivotal or arcuate movement aboutthe pin 61, which type of movement is easier to effect and properlycontrol than a random type of movement that would otherwise pre- Vail.As a result, the positioning of the control plate 40 can be easily andquickly accomplished with uniform results each time and without fear ofpinching the ends of the cigarettes that might be caused as a result ofsuch random movement.

According to this invention, means are provided to insure that thecontrol plate 40 is retained in the full-line position of FIG. 2 toprevent the stack 34 from spilling in the event that the tray 16 istilted slightly toward the open side while filled. For this purpose aself-centering latch pin 65, as best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, is mountedon the flange portion 545* at the base of the flange extension 6%. Anaperture 65 is positioned for cooperation with the latch pin 65, whichaperture 66 is conveniently located in the terminal end of thereinforcement strap 54. In operation, as the control plate 4% is movedinto the position across the open side of the tray 10, the latch pin 65is caused to ride up on the end of the strap 54 due to the flexibilityof the material whereupon the latch pin 65 is capable of seating in theaperture 66 as the control plate 4 1i is moved to the final positionacross the open side of the tray 10.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the terminal end 67 of the strap 54 alsoserves as a bumper block to space the control plate 46 from the endwalls 13, 14 in the full-line operative position of FIG. 2. To aid inthis function, there is further provided a second bumper block 68positioned lower down on the end wall 13 as illustrated in FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 2, this insures that the control plate 40 is spacedfrom the edge of the end wall 13 so as to prevent accidental pinching orcrushing of the ends of the cigarettes between the control plate 40 andthe end wall 13.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is providedan arrangement for automatically retraciing the control plate 40 fromits position across the open side of the tray and positioning it intothe dottedline position of FIG. 2 along the outside of the side wall 12as the tray 10 is moved into a collecting and filling machine (notshown) in the direction of the solid arrow of FIG. 6. To do this, thereis provided as shown in FIG. 6, a pinion gear 70 having a hub 71 that issecured to the link 52 by any number of suitable support rods 72. Ifdesired, the hub 71 may include a clutch for accommodating overrun ofthe mechanism and other emergencies.

A rack 73 is suitably mounted to the cigarette-collecting and fillingapparatus that is or may be of the known type, such as described in U.S.Patent No. 2,919,529. The purpose of this rack is to engage the pinion70 as the tray 10 is moved into the machine, as indicated by the solidarrow in FIG. 6. As the tray is moved in the direction of this arrow,the pinion 79 will be rotated in the clockwise direction as indicated bythe arrow whereupon the link 52 will also assume a clockwise rotation.This movement then automatically serves to actuate the guide means 43 ofthe cigarette tray 10 whereupon the control plate 40 is convenientlyretracted from across the open side of the tray to the inoperativeposition along the side wall 12; i.e. said pinion 70 serving totranslate the movement of the tray 10 in the machine into rotary drivingpower that, in turn, effects a pivoting of the link 52 about astationary pivot pin 74.

The pivot pin 74 has gear teeth formed about the periphery of theenlarged terminal portion so as to form a stationary sun gear 75 foractuation of a train of planet gears, generally indicated by thereference numeral 76. The final planet gear of the train 76 engages agear segment 77 formed on the flange portion 50 about the pivot pin 51so that as the link 52 is pivoted to retract the control plate 40, thestationary sun gear 75 through the train of planet gears 76 causes anangular positioning of the end plate 41 and the attached control plate40 with respect to said link 52 in accordance with the progressiveshowing of movement in FIG. 2.

It will be realized that upon withdrawal of the tray 10 from thecollecting and filling machine upon which the rack 73 is mounted, thepinion 70 will be eflfective to withdraw the control plate 40 from itsinoperative position back to the operative position across the open sideof the tray 1t) merely by reverse movement of the action describedabove, whereby the stack of cigarettes 34 is again confined and ready tobe transported.

In the form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, the coverplate 40 is mounted in a pair of opposed end plates 80 by offsetsegments 81 along end flange portions 82. As illustrated in FIG. 7, theend flange portion 82 is U-shaped and extends along and in juxtapositionwith the end wall 13, as before.

In the considered embodiment of the invention, one pivot pin is locatedon each end wall along the center line thereof as indicated by referencenumeral 83. In the full-line position of FIG. 7 wherein the cover plate40 extends across the open side of the tray 10, the pin 83 is located inone terminal end of an elongated track 84 that extends substantially thelength of the U-shaped flange 82. When it is desired to retract thecover plate 49 to the inoperative position along the rear side wall 12,the control plate 40 and guide assembly is moved along the track 84 thatengages the pin 83 until the dotted-line position is reached.

Preferably a pair of bumper blocks 86, 87 is provided along the end Wall13 in the manner indicated so as to prevent possible damage of the endsof the cigarettes, as the control plate is positioned in the operativeposition across the open side.

To lock the cover plate assembly into position there is provided aself-centering pin 88 that is positioned to receive the terminal end ofthe track 84 opposite to the end of said track 84 that is embracing thepivot pin 83. In operation, the resiliency of the flange portion 82 issuflicient to allow the end to ride up over the self-centering pin 88and assume the locking position.

In another embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIGS. 9and 10 of the drawings, a plurality of cover plate assemblies 90comprising the end plates 80 and the control plate 40 are providedwhereby each of the end plates 80 carries its own pivot pin 91; eachpivot pin 91 slidably engaging an inverted U-shaped track 92 extendingaround the top portion of the cigarette tray 10. The several cover plateassemblies 90 are connected by suitable hinges 95 that are preferablylocated at the inside limit of the end plate 80.

In the operation of this embodiment of the invention, the limits ofmovement of the cover plate assemblies 90 are determined by the terminalends of the track 92 and the spacing of the cover plates 40 from the endwalls 13 is also conveniently determined by the extent of the track 92from the end of the end wall 13.

As in the first described embodiment of the invention, these embodiments(FIGS. 7-10) may employ suitable automatic means for retracting thecover plate 40 upon entering the collecting and filling machine. Forexample, the interlocked assemblies 90 of the embodiment of FIGS. 9 and10 could be supplied with a suitable flexible rack that is engaged by agear mounted on the tray 10 for rotation upon movement of said tray 10in the machine. While the control plate 40 has been illustrated asextending only part way down the open side of the tray 10, it should berealized that if greater control of the stack 34 is desired, the guidemechanism 43 could be designed to guide a full length cover plate inaccordance with the present invention.

In this disclosure, there is shown an described only the preferredembodiment of the invention, but, as aforementioned, it is to beunderstood that the invention is capable of various changes ormodifications within the scope of the inventive concept as expressed bythe accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An open-sided tray for confining a stack of elongated articlescomprising a base defining the bottom of said tray, two end wallsextending upwardly from said base, a side wall extending between saidend walls, a control plate on said tray adapted for movement between anoperative position across the open side of said tray for confining saidarticles and an inoperative position outside said tray, and guide meansfor holding said control plate captive on said tray whereby said controlplate is in juxtaposition to said tray in all positions of movement andis positioned substantially parallel to said tray along said side wallin said inoperative position, said guide means comprising a pivot pinextending outwardly from each end wall, an elongated link pivotallymounted about one of its ends on each pivot pin, an end plate mounted oneach end of said control plate, the other end of saidlinks beingpivotally attached to the respective end plate of said control plate.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said end plates include flangeportions extending along the outside of the end walls of said tray, alatch pin extending inwardly from said flange portion and an aperture insaid end plate for receiving said latch pin in at least one of saidpositions.

3. An open-sided tray for confining a stack of elongated articlescomprising a base defining the bottom of said tray, two end wallsextending upwardly from said base, a side wall extending between saidend walls, a control plate on the upper part of said tray adapted for 7movement between an operative position across the open side of said trayfor confining said articles and an inoperative position outside saidtray, said control plate terminating substantially short of said base, apivot pin extending outwardly from each end wall, an elongated linkpivotally mounted about one of its ends on each pivot pin, an end platemounted on each end of said control plate, said end plates includingflange portions extending along the outside of the end walls of saidtray, the other end of said links being pivotally attached to therespective flange portion, and bumper blocks mounted on said end platesfor retaining said control plate spaced from and parallel to said trayin said operative position.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said pivot pin is mounted alongthe center line of said end Wall adjacent the top portion of said traywhereby the movement of said control plate is effected across the top ofsaid tray,

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein is further provided a latch pinextending inwardly from at least one of said flange portions, a terminalslot opening at the top edge of the respective end plate to receive saidpin.

6. An open-sided tray for confining a stack of elongated articles foruse with a filling machine for said tray comprising a base defining thebottom of said tray, two end walls extending upwardly from said base, aside wall extending between said end walls, a control plate attached tosaid tray so as to be movable between an operative position across theopen side of said tray for confining said articles and an inoperativeposition outside said tray, guide means for holding said control platecaptive on said tray whereby said control plate is in juxtaposition tosaid tray in all positions of movement and is positioned substantiallyparallel to said tray along said side wall in said inoperative position,and actuating mechanism on said tray for moving said control platebetween said positions,

8 said actuating mechanism being responsive to the movement of said trayin said machine.

'7. An open-sided tray for confining a stack of elongated articlescomprising a base defining the bottom of said tray, two end wallsextending upwardly from said base, a side wall extending between saidend walls, a control plate on said tray adapted for movement between anoperative position across the open side of said tray for confining saidarticles and an inoperative position outside said tray, and guide meansfor holding said control plate captive on said tray whereby said controlplate is in juxtaposition to said tray in all positions of movement andis positioned substantially parallel to said tray along said side wallin said inoperative position, said guide means comprising a pair oflinks, each link being pivotally connected to one of said end walls andto said control plate, and gearing connecting said tray and said controlplate to control the angular relation between said control plate andsaid links during movement of said control plate between the saidoperative and inoperative positions of the control plate.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said gearing comprises a planettrain having a sun gear fixed to said tray, a driven gear fixed to saidcontrol plate, and at least one planet gear interposed between said sunand driven gears and mounted on one of said links.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,540,507 6/1925 Wayland 3l2325 X2,485,837 10/1949 Nadelson 220-38 X 2,490,939 12/1949 Aldrich 220-38 X3,132,746 5/1964 Molins 211-134 ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner.

